Corey Johnson
NEWS, FEB. 5: “UP IN SMOKE”
SAD NEWS
How embarrassing. New Mexico has a golden opportunity to pull itself out of debt and be one of the leading states in our country to legalize marijuana, and we have senators like [Clemente] Sanchez who stand in the way. This is incredibly sad news and I hope the people keep notes on the senators who put their bias before the will of the people.
DOMINIC
SFREPORTER.COM
LEGALIZE NOW
New Mexico needs legalization now. The funds will help this state. Why wait four or five years to get the inevitable done. Sen. Clemente Sanchez, D-Grants, may be the one to kill this. Let's watch how he handles this so we know how to vote next time He is up for re-election. The people of New Mexico should have the chance to vote on this issue. It should not be up to one person.
LS LOVE
SFREPORTER.COM
DON’T ALTER MINDS
Thankfully there are some intelligent politicians in Santa Fe. Do we really need to legalize and encourage the use of another mind-altering substance? It is unreal it's even being considered in the first place!
MFLET
SFREPORTER.COM
CASH CROPS
Of course! Why would New Mexico promote legalization of cannabis and hemp, two cash crops that would bring in millions of dollars in tax revenue and does not face the same irrigation issues that other crops deal with?
Environmentally, its reliance on pesticides is minimal. A missed opportunity! It would certainly be a boon to our cash strapped famers.
SIMON TEOLIS
SFREPORTER.COM
COVER STORY, FEB. 5: “ANGRY ORCHARD”
BROKEN PROMISE
Thank you for this excellent story. The story of Dixon's is long overdue. New Mexicans need to know about the fate of this beautiful orchard as an example of the crazy, corrupt politics in this state. New Mexicans need to understand why we keep missing the revolution for the technologies, arts, farming, sustainable development, etc., which are continually developed right here! Everything we develop seems to leave the state, from our Nambé wear to our delicious apples.
At fault in the outcome of Dixon's is the University of New Mexico for breaking the promise and selling/ trading the land they were given and entrusted. They should, at a minimum, pay for repairs and renovation of the orchard, and the pueblo should manage the orchard and the surrounding lands until a new plan is set.
I am disgusted with UNM. I never realized the inferior education I received until I went to graduate school outside the state. Overpriced and poor quality. When I returned to Albuquerque I would walk my dog on the UNM campus, just to shit.
LENA
SFREPORTER.COM
INSIDE TRACK, JAN. 29:
CD GOT BAD RAP
Poor Alex de Vore must have had a very bad day when he reviewed Jamie Russell's Santa Fe Session CD.
It is in fact the only explanation I have that he would call Jamie Russell the weak link on this great CD. Apart from the fact that Russell wrote, arranged and produced 9 out of the 10 songs ["Sweet Chariot" only uses the traditional chorus, that makes it almost 10, if we are picky], he also played drums, percussion, bass, guitar and happens to be the lead vocalist on all tracks.
He received the support and talented contribution of no less than nine of the best musicians in town out of conviction and respect for his talent, charisma and creativity.
These are not paid studio musicians that you can just go shopping for, but fellow creative artists that are all involved in their own creative endeavors, who decided to support a project out of apreciation for the musical and creative accomplishment of another artist without monetary exchange.
I would believe that the opinion of these nine artists are worth more than the opinion of a "critic," that feels the need to make up negative aspects, in order to appear "edgy" or "controversial." It does not add credibility to the review or the author. Listen for yourself.
PRAKASH SPEX
NEWS, JAN.22: “MAYORAL MANIA”
WAGE MATTERS
The most important issue for me in the city elections is the Living Wage. It is an economic justice, religious and moral issue. The three candidates for mayor have sharply different positions—regardless of what they are saying now.
Bill Dimas is pretty straightforward.
He is against it. Patti Bushee says she supports it. She probably thinks people don't remember what she has actually done. Bushee refused to be a sponsor of the Living Wage. Instead, she sponsored an amendment to take away the right of workers to enforce the law. That would have left enforcement to the city at a time when the mayor was opposed to the Living Wage and would not enforce it. Luckily her amendment was defeated. Javier Gonzales is the only candidate who has been a consistent and strong supporter of our Living Wage. I am voting for Javier.
JIMMY SOSAYA
AGREE TO DISAGREE
I worked with Patti Bushee and Javier Gonzales during my eight years on the City Council. I respect them both, but I think Javier will be the better mayor.
Javier knows that Santa Fe should be a lively community with a focus on youth and education. He knows that the city can be a leader in renewable energy, and create jobs in the process. And he has the understanding of Northern New Mexico we need to broker regional solutions to our water problems.
Javier listens, thinks carefully, and feels deeply for our community. Even when we disagreed, I felt I could talk with him. He is dynamic and optimistic about our future. These are the qualities we need in the mayor's office.
Javier has already built an impressive coalition of Santa Feans, old and new. I hope you will join me in supporting him.
CRIS MOORE
FORMER CITY COUNCILOR, DISTRICT 2
CREDIT FOR FINANCE
I'm for Patti Bushee for mayor. We're lucky to have a candidate for mayor who knows the city and the city staff from 20 years of experience on the Council. She's smart, she's quick and she genuinely cares about Santa Fe and its people.
Some candidates accept financial support from groups that come around later to collect on the obligation. The citizens of Santa Fe approved public financing of political campaigns to prevent this sort of thing It's to her credit that Patti is running her campaign the way we citizens want it run —based strictly on public financing. Patti's smart, experienced and honest and that's what we need in a mayor.
BOB MCCARTHY
SANTA FE
CROSSROADS
Santa Fe is at a crossroads. With a looming $10.5 million shortfall, the result of the state's hold harmless tax revenues, we need experience in the mayor's seat.
Patti Bushee is the only candidate with the background and experience in financing to lead us. Councilor Bushee's work on the Finance Committee and her economics training fill the bill. She is the independent voice on the council. Never controlled by special interests. As a 20-year constituent of Councilor Bushee's, I can honestly say her only interest is the people.
The choice is clear, you have a true advocate of the people, Patti Bushee, a pay-to-play candidate with three political PAC (a la Citizens United) or a refuse-to-play candidate denying the public access to a public debate on issues. Patti is the hope of the future of Santa Fe.
JOHN QUINTANA
SANTA FE
MUDSLINGING
I find it hard to understand the charges flying towards Javier Gonzales from the opposing camps. Why not focus on a clean campaign about ideas for leadership and direction in which the mayoral candidates would take us?
Particularly puzzling is the charge that Santa Fe Studios was a "sweetheart deal" for Javier Gonzales. Since to the best of my knowledge he received no monies, public or private, from this construction of a valuable piece of film infrastructure, I am wondering why the mudslinging?
And the griping over the "hold harmless" provision? This is part of the omnibus budget bill, which Javier did not vote on, which contains the "breaking bad" tax subsidies that encourage job growth in TV and film. So we might lose $600k a year, replaced by $6 million, according to Mayor Coss' projections. What do you think, Santa Fe? Does that work for you?
Film/TV is the one area in NM in which real job growth has been taking place, in spite of the governor's efforts. Where else can you say there has been job growth that has been environmentally clean and does not waste our scarce water as fracking does? In what other industry can kids go to the community college and come out and get a real, high paying job—in a field that excites their imagination?
And a facility like Santa Fe Studios that allows a film/tv production to stay here from pre- through post-production is a way of making us more valuable as a film destination, as well as keeping that production longer in Santa Fe —equaling more money spent in our community. In what universe is this a bad thing?
Let's think harder about how to keep our kids here and generating new high paying jobs and less about how to slam our opponents with specious charges.
LIZ RANDOL
SANTA FE
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